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Fiery Heart	By : Lania Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female Views: 2949 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
Author Note
This story is based on one perception of the Avatar universe. I do not claim ownership of any copy-written character nor am I making a dime on any of this. Also, this fic was written before I had a chance to see all of the first season and the second. (I jumped around a lot) So it is no where near accurate to the ACTUAL storyline. Thats okay, because it is just for fun, so please enjoy!

Fiery Heart: Chapter One

The trail was well worn and lined on either side with dense forest. Once in a while a small rodent would scuttle across the dirt, or a stray gust would shake the trees but other than that, it was a still peaceful, warm day.

Of course, looks can be deceiving. From a tree-top, perched safely on a thick yew, a black-haired youth watched as a Komodo-Rhino drawn cart passed beneath him. As he shifted his head to watch it, and his left eye came into view, showing a thick scar that encompassed his entire eye and most of his profile.

“Zuko…” an elderly man whispered as he clung to the trunk of the tree. “Is this really necessary? Could we not just go into the forest for supplies?” The elder man was robust and his side-burns grew down long to his jaw. His eyes were filled with concern, but had the loving softness of a grandfather.

Zuko closed his eyes for a moment before sitting up straight and turning his amber gaze to the man. “Uncle, this is the fastest way for supplies. Besides, I am not so sure we can afford anymore of your guesses.” He smiled lightly to himself as he remembered the incident with tea making on their first week of being fugitives.

“I still do not like this…” Iroh muttered, readjusting his grip on the trunk.

“We have to survive…” Zuko leaned down. “I’m going…” and he jumped.

He landed with ease on the top of the wagon, one knee hitting the top and his hands catching his weight on either side. The soldier who was driving turned to look at him and only had enough time to realize that a foot was heading for his face before he was thrown back. Along with the force of the kick was the force of an internal flame that shot out to accompany the action.
Zuko turned and leaped at two other soldiers that were heading up the back of the wagon. He could feel his energy burning inside him, begging for release, and he welcomed it. He had gone a long time without a good fight, and his spirit was dying to summon back the ancient fire that drove him to keep going. It was unfortunate that he had to use those feelings against people of his own kind, and for only a split second, he pitied the soldier’s he was diving for. He caught both by the throat and shoved them both backwards, landing harshly on the ground, effectively knocking them both out. He spun around, kicking his foot around in a sweeping motion, sending a wave of flame out at the last two remaining soldiers that were approaching. They were sent careening into a large tree, where they slumped down. He stood up and looked around to make sure he did not miss anyone before motioning towards the branch he had dropped from.

Behind him, Zuko heard his uncle drop down to the ground. “Very well…” he said. “Now we have supplies.” Despite his aged façade, the older man was still in very good shape, and he easily stood up after the drop and walked towards his nephew.

“And mounts…” Zuko added, turning and walking around to calm the Komodo-Rhino. “This will make traveling a bit easier.” He climbed up to get next to the driver, and took the ring of keys off of his belt before shoving him to the ground. He tossed the ring to his Uncle, who began to unlock the cart.

Zuko set about freeing the Komodo-Rhinos, detaching the reigns, and tightening the saddles.

“Oh no…” Iroh muttered from the cart door. “Zuko…”

Dropping the leather reigns, Zuko dashed around the cart. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness inside the cart, and at first he was not sure what his uncle was upset about. There was food, and supplies, but curled up in the far back corner of the cart, was a girl. Her arms were shackled and chained so that her hands were crossed over her chest. Her ankles were shackled and the chains were laced up her calves. Even her mouth had a metal slab, held in place by rope, over it.

“She must be a fire bender…” Zuko said in awe of the precautions that the soldiers had taken. He pulled himself up into the cart and walked to her. She did not respond to his approach, nor did she respond when he touched her. For one sickening moment, Zuko was afraid that she was dead, but after a few seconds of touching her, he could feel the familiar spark in her that he was able to sense in all fire benders. She was very light, so he had no problem lifting her up and carrying her to Iroh who was waiting with his arms open.

Now in the sunlight, Zuko noticed that she had light bruises coming from around the metal covering her face, and a darkening bruise on her eye. She’d been beaten, harshly, and he was wondering if she was going to live. He pulled a dagger out of his belt and, being careful not to get any of her dark hair caught under the blade, he cut the rope that was holding the metal to her mouth. He set it aside, and lifted her head a bit to see if she was breathing. As he did, he heard a noise a soft noise.

“Wh…er…”

He blinked and looked to his Uncle, who was leaning over her as well. His face was drawn in concentration as he listened. “What did you say?” he asked gently, touching the girl’s cheek.

The physical contact seemed to trigger something, and her eyelashes began to move. It seemed to take a lot of effort for her eyes to open. “W-Water…” she whispered desperately, her brown eyes pleading. “Please…”

Iroh pulled his water skin off his belt and uncorked it. “Tip her forward a bit…” he instructed.

Zuko obeyed, moving around so that the girl’s head was resting against his chest. He held her as gently as possible and watched his uncle carefully.

“Drink slow…” he said softly to the girl. He put the opening of the water skin to her lips, which were cracked, bruised and swollen.

She did not listen, and eagerly began to drink. She choked only slightly, sending water dribbling down her chin, but seemed to not care. She tipped her chin up again as a sign that she wanted more water, which Iroh gave to her.

When she was finished, she laid back, and closed her eyes. “Don’t…. let them…. Get me….” She begged in a weak murmuring voice. She looked at Iroh, then up at Zuko. “Please… promise…”

Zuko was not sure how to answer her. This was not his business, and he had always gone out of his way to avoid battles that were not his. However, his answer did not matter, because Iroh answered for both of them.

“Of course we won’t. Rest now…” he said with a smile, resting his hand over her forehead gently.

She waited a moment, almost checking for sincerity before allowing her eyes to close once more. Her breathing slowed and became deep as she drifted away into slumber.

“I wonder what they wanted with her.” Zuko said as he held her head in his lap while his Uncle went about unlocking the shackles.

“I am not sure… She is beaten up pretty badly, so she must have given them trouble.” Iroh set the chains aside, inspecting a nasty looking bruise on the girl’s wrist.

“We should find a village to drop her off at.” Zuko said.

“There is not a village for quite a few days. We will watch after her.” Iroh said, standing up and brushing his knees off.

“But Uncle, this isn’t our problem! She will slow us down.” Zuko protested. He was anxious to get moving, mostly out of fear that his sister, Princess Azula, would catch up with him. He and his uncle were not ready to face her again.

“Zuko, she is one of our kind.” Iroh said sharply, giving his nephew a knowing look. “I promised her I would not let them get her, and I intend to keep my word.” He began to pull supplies out of the cart. “Get her ready, we will take all we can.”

Zuko sighed in defeat, and lifted the girl up.
***

“Now… move through the stances…” Iroh instructed, sipping some tea.
Zuko held his arms in front of him, slowly shifting to his right, pushing his left foot forward. As it moved through the grass, he felt a stirring in his stomach. He kept his breathing steady and concentrated on keeping his stances perfect. Suddenly there was a burst inside of him, which he had been waiting for, and he threw his right leg forward in a snap kick. He placed it down in front of him, and rolling with the momentum, he pushed off with his right leg, his hips twisting to accommodate the movement, and tossed his left foot back and around in a perfect heel kick, a flame following his heel the whole way.

“Good, good…” Iroh said, smiling to himself. His pride in his nephew was amazingly strong, very akin to a father-son attachment.

Zuko dropped his stance and walked over to the fire, stirring the contents inside a small pot. He glanced over at the slender figure that was curled up close by, feeling a pull of pity. “Uncle…” he said with a sigh. “We really should drop her off somewhere… She only wakes up to eat.”

“Zuko…” the older man said, giving his nephew a patient look. “Regardless of what you were taught, there is no point in abandoning one of our own. She would not last out here by herself, and as I’ve said before, there is not a village around for days.”

Zuko frowned, stirring the rice some more. He did not like the idea of taking responsibility for another person outside of himself. He had always had to struggle, and people rarely ever came to offer a helping hand… except his uncle, and even then he was hesitant to accept.

“Wake her and make her eat.” Iroh instructed.

“What!” Zuko asked, standing up, his fists clenched to his sides.

“She needs to eat. It won’t kill you to at least wake her up.” Helping himself to a bowl and the spoon, Iroh served himself.

Zuko loved his uncle too much to refuse. With a sigh, and a glare pointed directly at his uncle who did not seem to notice it, he headed over to the sleeping figure. A little more rough than he intended, he grabbed her shoulder and shook her. “Hey wake--”

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” she screamed suddenly, jerking out of her sleep state, throwing a wild fist backwards. She missed Zuko, and immediately began to scramble backwards. “Don’t…don’t please… don’t hurt me!” she begged, curling up into a ball, breathing hysterically.

Confused, Zuko looked at Iroh, who returned the gaze that was filled with a deep sadness. However, he nodded encouragingly to his nephew.

“I am not going to hurt you…” Zuko said as he approached the now weeping girl. “We helped you…remember?”

She shook her head in a negative.

How can she not remember! Zuko felt his mouth twist in frustration, and he thrust the bowl of rice into her hands. “Stop blubbering and eat something.” He snapped.

Caught off guard by the bowl, she held it dumbfounded for a moment, then looked up to meet his gaze, as if she did not believe the food was being given to her.

“Eat.” Zuko said, forcing his voice to sound kinder.

She gazed down at the food, and immediately began to shovel it into her mouth, using her fingers.

Sitting down next to the fire, Zuko served up his own food, and began to eat. He was still confused by the girl’s reaction, and insulted by it, but he was not going to play nurse maid to a nut case. After a long stretch of silence, he glanced over to see that the girl had finished her food. He reached out a hand. “Give me your bowl.” He ordered.

She handed the empty bowl over and seemed to brighten when she noticed he was filling it once more to the brim with freshly cooked rice. He handed it back, along with a wooden spoon to eat with. She accepted it with a small smile, and began to eat once more.

“What is your name?” Iroh asked as he stood and carried a small cup of tea over to her.

“Lania.” She replied simply between mouthfuls. She eagerly accepted the cup and began to sip the hot liquid.

“What are you doing as a prisoner of the Fire Nation?” Zuko asked, not looking at her, but instead focusing on the camp fire.

Lania stopped eating, and looked up at them both. She sat up a little straighter, tossing her hair back away from her face. “I am a rogue bender--”

“A deserter?” Zuko asked suddenly, looking over at her sharply.

“No!” she yelled, as she clutched tightly to her bowl and looked away. “I was never in the military, so I am no deserter.”

“Then how are you a “rogue bender”?” he asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

Lania looked at him, her eyes widened slightly in fear. “My mother brought me to the Earth Kingdom a long time ago to try and find my grandfather. She…went away a long time ago. I haven’t seen her since.”

“So your moth—“ Zuko never got a chance to finish his question.

“My mother was a noble woman!” Lania said, her brows drawing together in offense. “A powerful, beautiful bender who was shunned when your father came to power…” she practically spat the words out.

Zuko looked surprised for a moment, than glanced at his Uncle. The thought was the same. How did she know?

She seemed to understand their confusion. “There are wanted posters for you two in practically every city I have been in.” she said gently. “Prince Zuko… retired General Iroh.”

Zuko felt his brow draw together in anger for only a moment. Okay…so she knows who we are. “So… why was your mother shunned?” he asked.

Lania pushed the rice in her bowl around, not looking up at him.

Iroh watched the two as they sat in silence once more. “Well...” he said with a stretch. “All that matters is the here and now.” He then offered Lania more tea.

The rest of the dinner went by in silence. It was not until Zuko went to retrieve the dishes that he realized that Lania had fallen asleep. As he picked up the bowl and cup, he stopped to watch her. She was curled protectively in his sleeping bag, her hands balled up in fists by her mouth. Every now an again she would give a little twitch and would let out the smallest of whimpers. She looked very small and helpless at that moment.

Deciding that dishes could wait until the morning, he returned to the fire and placed the bowl and cup with their counterparts. A long drawn out snore from across the fire pit indicated that his uncle had fallen asleep as well, leaving Zuko alone with the campfire and this thoughts.

What would have happened… if father had never asked grandfather for succession to the throme? He wondered. What if Uncle Iroh had been Fire Lord…? He glanced over at his tea-loving Uncle who snorted in his sleep. Zuko felt a familiar, loving smile tug at the corner of his lips.

He decided that it would have been a much happier environment to live in.
***

Fwoosh!

Zuko jerked awake, looking around wildly, his hands clenched as he prepared for a fight. He looked towards the noise, and saw Lania standing a bit away from the camp, playing with a small ball of flame.

She spread her arms, pulling the fire into one long ribbon that she began to wave gently. She looked a little wary as she began to move, and the fire reacted accordingly. It fluttered and spurt out almost instantly. With a defeated sigh, her shoulders sagged and she folded her arms over her stomach.

Zuko rolled his eyes and sighed before flopping back onto his soft patch of earth. His heart slowed down after a moment of breathing. She must be feeling better…he thought.

Two more days had done her some good. She was up and moving around, practicing her bending again. Failing pretty miserably at it, but practicing nonetheless.

“Good morning Prince Zuko!” Iroh called from the log he was sitting on. Apparently he had been watching Lania, who also turned around to look at Zuko.

He would not be able to sleep any more, so he sat up in response and began packing up his supplies. As he passed by the fire, he paused to stare at the three large fish that were cooking over it. He knew his uncle was not good at fishing… and he had been asleep.

“Beautiful aren’t they?” Iroh asked as he stepped next to his nephew, eyeing the fish hungrily. “Lania caught them this morning. She is very good at fishing.” He knelt down to look closer at the food.

“Not yet Uncle Iroh.” Lania said as she approached them. “They need a bit longer to cook. If you eat them raw you might get a little sick off of them.”

Zuko looked over at her. She had cleaned herself up, but the bruises still showed darkly on her pale skin. Her hair was straightened and brushed, but her cloths… there were rips and burn marks all over them. She needed new clothing. “Uncle, huh?” he asked her, digging into his pack.

“It is what he asked me to call him…” she said lightly. “I would prefer calling him General Iroh… but he protested.” She knelt down, poking at one of the fish. “Would you prefer I call you Prince Zuko?”

“That is my title.” He said simply, tossing a pair of pants and a vest over to her. “Wear these. They are better than those scraps you have on now. The last thing we need is you getting sick. We’ve already wasted time waiting for you to heal.”

Lania picked up the cloths, watching him closely, then bowed her head almost as if she were ashamed before heading off into the woods to find some privacy.

Zuko watched her leave, and then continued packing his belongings. He had to admit, he was a bit jealous of her fishing success and the attention that she was receiving from his uncle. He reminded himself that she would be gone very soon, and that there was no reason for him to dwell on it.

She returned after a few short moments, looking somewhat silly in his cloths that were oversized on her. Moving over to the camp fire, she checked the fish, then announced that they were ready to eat.
***

Lania loved the sun. She supposed that she could attribute that to her being a fire bender, but as she rode on the back of a Komodo-Rhino with the sun warming her dark hair and skin, she felt as if she could cry. Two months of imprisonment made her appreciate how good freedom felt, and at the thought of her shackles, a shiver shot up her back.

She clenched her eyes closed and forced herself to focus on the sun, and the sweet smell of the grass. Find…tranquility… her mind whispered. So wrapped up in her emotions, she did not notice when she hugged Zuko, who was in front of her on the Komodo-Rhino.

Why is she doing that…? Zuko wondered, making a dumbfounded expression. She was just fine before, holding his hips to make sure she did not fall off, but now she had her arms wrapped around him and was resting her head on his back. An unfamiliar blush threatened to cross his cheeks, and he absolutely refused to have that. “Could you…not do that?” he asked over his shoulder.

Lania blinked as she was pulled out of her stupor. She realized what she was doing and jerked back suddenly. “Sorry!” she said, blushing deeply. “I didn’t….” she felt her embarrassment swell up so fast that she could not finish her sentence.

Zuko turned away from her to continue guiding the tri-rhino. Stupid girl... he thought bitterly.

Iroh, who was a little bit behind them, chuckled lightly to himself at their antics. Young people are so clueless. He thought to himself.
***

“Who is your grandfather?” Iroh asked as they sat at the edge of the trail, taking a break from riding. The older man grunted as he sat down in the grass next to her.

Lania smiled lightly in remembrance of her grandfather. “His name was Jeong Jeong.” She said.

Iroh laughed loudly and patted her shoulder. “Jeong Jeong! My, my you are truly lucky!” he said. “Jeong Jeong was a magnificent bender, and a very good master at that. I had the honor of fighting along side him before.”

Lania put her chin on her knees. “Yes… he was wonderful… I haven’t seen him in ten years…” she said softly. “He probably thinks I am with my mother…or that I was killed in the Earth Kingdom raids.”

“I am sure…” Iroh said, leaning back, propping himself up with his arms, “that if he knew you were alone that he would be tearing the countryside apart looking for you.”

Zuko, who had been listening, though not actively participating, felt his eyes widen in amazement. Jeong Jeong, though considered a traitor (much like himself now) was still honored as a powerful bender. He tightened the saddle on the Komodo-Rhino and turned to face the two sitting on the edge of the trail. “Are we ready to go?”

Iroh fell back on the grass letting out a long sigh. “I think… we need to rest longer.”

“Uncle come on!” Zuko said with a small, childish stomp.

Iroh did not respond. Instead, his breathing got slower and slower as he fell asleep.

“Un…believable…” Zuko said, twisting his mouth slightly in annoyance. “He just falls asleep…” He rolled his eyes and, despite his grumbling, pulled a blanket out of his pack and covered the older man with it.

Lania watched in silence. She was touched at the simple acts of love that she saw getting exchanged between the two, and envious. She felt a tug on her heart, and realized that she really wanted to be with her grandfather again. She was…alone.

***
The sun was setting, making the horizon blaze with deep oranges and purples. The birds were quieting and the temperature was beginning to lower. Lania yawned tiredly form behind Zuko and rubbed her eye, which stung a bit in retaliation to the assault. “Hrm..” she muttered.

Zuko pulled on the reigns of his komodo-rhino and directed the large beast over to the side of the road. The animal’s large body crushed the small bushes and trees that were in its way, clearing a decent path for his Uncle to follow behind. When he felt that they were a good distance from the road, he dismounted. “We’ll set up camp here.” He announced, turning to help Lania off of the animal.

Iroh yawned loudly and lumbered off of his mount, pulling the beast over to a tree by its reigns, and tying a loose knot. The animals were so well trained that they did not try to run away, and instead became content with the small leaves and grass that was available to them. He then grunted as he headed towards where his nephew was clearing out small branches and vines with his fire bending. “Lania why not help me unload the supplies?” he asked with a smile.

Lania glanced over at him, and then nodded.

She walked back along side Iroh to the animals. Reaching up, she and began to loosen the few provisions that Zuko and Iroh had acquired over their time in the woods. She held a sleeping bag in front of her for a moment, then daringly, she turned to Iroh, double-checking to make sure Zuko was not within earshot. “Um… When… when are you guys going to…”

Get rid of me. That was the real question, but she did not want to offend him, and stumbled over the right words to use. “I mean… I’m slowing you down…”

Iroh chuckled deeply at the girl. “We are in no hurry to get anywhere, only to keep eluding those that might turn us in for a bounty.”

Lania heard truth ringing in his voice, but she had the suspicion that Zuko wanted her to go. She looked down at the sleeping bag once more, her fingers digging into the material.

I know I should go… get back to normal. Get back to it just being me and the road…A hand moved into her vision, covering hers gently.

“You can stay as long as you need.” Iroh said gently to the girl with a smile. “I personally am in no hurry to see you go. You are good company!” he exclaimed with a laugh.

She felt a little better, and offered him a friendly smile before returning to the chore at hand. It wasn’t long before Zuko came up to them to assist.

“The tent will need to go up.” Iroh commented as he looked toward the sky. He sniffed once, and nodded. “Yes, I smell rain coming in.”

Lania looked toward the sky, and saw no clouds. However, she did not object. “Should I get dinner started then?”

“Yes. The sooner the better.” Iroh said, and then paused. “Are you going fishing?”

“No…” Lania said. “There is no water around here. I will go into the forest, there should be some wild roots and small game I can catch.” She looked around moved towards the tree lining, picking up a thick branch. With one good crack, she split it against a tree, and what didn’t fall off, she pulled off with her hand. Then, using a small flame, she began to burn the sharp end to sterilize it.

Zuko watched out of the corner of his eye as he unloaded the tent. For a moment, he thought he had seen her grin when she hit the tree, as though she used the stick as a chance to release some aggression.

“I’ll be back.” She said, and with a rustle, disappeared into the underbrush.

***
Iroh sipped his tea, savoring the ginseng flavoring. He looked over at his nephew, who was poking at the campfire that they had made in preparation for their dinner. The tent was behind him, the tarp propped up over it to keep the impending rain from soiling the sleeping area.

“So have you decided?” Iroh asked, pouring himself another cup of tea, keeping a watchful eye on his nephew’s reactions.

“I don’t like her being here...” Zuko muttered, jabbing harshly at the fire. It was not so much that he disliked her, but she made him uncomfortable. Something about here just did not seem right to him, and he could not put his finger on it.

“I think you should give her a chance.” Iroh said, looking levelly at Zuko. “We haven’t seen her yet. She’s still in her shell. I bet when she emerges, she will surprise you.”

“What do you mean shell? Nonsense.” Zuko glared at his uncle.

Iroh shook his head. “Its true. When people are hurt, or feel defeated, they put themselves in a shell, or a cocoon. It’s a defense mechanism of the mind, to preserve what they have left. I think Lania is emerging, slowly. She is a capable girl, and experienced in how to take care of herself, but she is… she is hesitant to step away from the branch she’s secured herself to.”

Zuko raised a brow. Secured herself to? He looked off into the dark forest, thinking about that. He thought he understood… when he was banished, he had latched onto his uncle for support. The older man had given him hope, reassuring him that there was a chance that he could return home. That there was a life after banishment, and every now and again, his Uncle would remind him that he was still a teenager and that he could have some fun. I guess… I understand that.

“Either way…” Iroh said, interrupting Zuko’s thoughts. “I do not think she would appreciate us leaving her in a town. I would not feel right about it myself.” He held his teacup to his lips for a moment. “I mean… what would happen if the branch suddenly disappeared form out from under the cocoon?”

It would come crashing down. Zuko thought. He let out a long sigh, and nodded reluctantly. Strong as he liked to think he was, Zuko knew he could never turn his back on someone who truly needed help, and this girl was at least pulling her own weight.

Snap!

Zuko and Iroh looked over at the tree line, as Lania emerged smiling triumphantly. She was dirty again, and had stray leaves stuck in her now skewed hair, but in her right hand she held two rabbit-squirrels and clutched against her chest, held by her left arm was a cluster of different looking roots. “I need a big pot!” she laughed, approaching them.

In that moment, she looked like a completely different person, and she even walked with confidence in her stride.

Zuko looked down, clutching onto the stick he held. What was that? He asked himself. My heart… skipped a beat. In truth, his pulse hadn’t been normal all day. Maybe I am getting sick?

Iroh was digging through his pack, and emerged with the largest pot he had. He filled it with water, as Lania instructed, and watched as she began to skin the animals with precision. He raised a brow, noticing she did not flinch or hesitate to come in contact with blood.

“These little buggers had me running all over the place.” She said, jerking the skin. A sickened rip emerged from the carcass, but she continued on as though nothing had happened. “I finally had to take to a tree and wait for them to come out of hiding. Missed them the first time, landed in the dirt pretty hard.”

“You look it.” Zuko commented. “You cannot seem to stay clean for more than a day.”

She glanced over at him, and then shrugged. “Its a dirty world. I mean… if a little dirt means the difference between starving and eating… I’d take the dirt.”

She finished with the meat, and began to cook it over the fire while going for the roots. She peeled them swiftly, rotating the root itself in her hand while pulling the knife against it.

“Perhaps you can teach my nephew to hunt.” Iroh said with a teasing smile.

“I could—“

“No.” Zuko glared at his uncle now. He was confused about everything, and the teasing was not helping him at all. He was still back on the whole cocoon thing, and now he couldn’t figure out why his heart kept jerking oddly whenever he thought about leaving Lania in the next town. Angrily, but silently, he got up and crawled into the tent.

Lania stared after him, pausing in her peeling. “Did… I do something to upset him?” she asked Iroh quietly, tipping her head down slightly.

“No.” Iroh said, sitting back against a tree. “He has a bit on his mind right now.”

“I see.” She lowered her head and went back to work.

***
Stupid girl.

Yeah, she was stupid all right. Just like Song had been stupid. The only difference was that he was able to get away from Song. He was stuck with Lania for the time being, and unlike Song, she was relying on him for support.

She’s cuter too.

Shut up. Zuko rolled over on his sleeping bag, ignoring the voice in his head that hinting at all the reasons to why his heart was finally slowing down to a normal beat for the first time since the morning when she’d hugged him.

I don’t need this… I don’t want it. I barely know her anyway. It was true, he was a teenaged boy, and he often dreamed of sweet smiles and flirtatious glances, but that was okay. Those were dreams. He could not risk anything with any girl, not when he had so much on the line. Not when he did not even have his honor, or his home.

He closed his eyes, and let himself relax. Just before he drifted into sleep, that nagging voice whispered to him She has no home either…
***

He didn’t feel he had even closed his eyes for a minute before he was interrupted.

“Prince Zuko?” a hand gently shook his shoulder.

Groggily, Zuko raised his head. It had grown dark, and he was forced to squint to see who was talking to him. “What do you want?” he asked, still feeling the effects of sleep.

“Um… dinner is ready. If you are hungry.” Lania said hopefully, sitting back on her heels. She kept her hands folded tightly in her lap, and she did not look at him. After a moment, when she got no response, she turned and began to move out of the tent.

“I’ll be out soon.” Zuko muttered, but she was already gone.

***

Dinner went smoothly. No outbursts, no embarrassing moments. Iroh and Lania chatted back and forth in friendly conversation, occasionally pausing for Zuko’s input, which usually consisted of only a few words. It was perfect, that is, until a rumble signaled the end of their outdoor time.

Lania hadn’t taken the time to consider it, but the tent was not large at all. She also knew that there were only two sleeping bags. She’d used Zuko’s during her time when she was resting, because it had been warm those nights. With the rain moving in, it was already getting cold. She bit her lip, and began to pour the remaining stew she’d made into smaller bowls.

Zuko seemed to share her thoughts, but was not as phased by them as she was. “You will use my bag tonight.” He said, stretching his arms above his head.

“But… its going to be cold..” she said, looking at him. She did not want to put him out after he had helped her, regardless of his attitude towards her.

“I’ll manage.” He said.

***

Oh damn its cold… Zuko curled up in a ball, shivering a bit. Above him the patter of rain on the tarp and the occasional whistle from the wind only reminded him more of the temperature.

Beside him one side, his uncle slept, snoring loudly off and on. To his other side, not facing him was Lania, curled up in his sleeping bag. Even though they were cramped together, he was not getting enough heat to stop from shivering.

See what chivalry gets you? Zuko frowned and rolled onto his back to stare at the top of the tent. He really didn’t mind. Even when he was little, he had a soft spot for a girl in need. He reflected back to the Palace gardens…

***

“Now what you do… is you knock the apple off the other person’s head, like this!”

Azula shot a flame at Mai’s head, catching the apple on fire rather than knocking it off.

Zuko instantly lunged forward to put the flame out, and in that instant, he tripped taking both him and his sister’s friend into the well behind them.

“I told you they make a cute couple!”

***

“I told you it would be cold.”

Zuko jerked out of his memory, and looked over at Lania who was now facing him. She looked incredibly small as she peeked out from the sleeping bag. “We can share this…its large enough.” She said as she shifted herself out of the bag and started to untie the knots that bound the fabric ends together.

“Its not right.” Zuko said stubbornly “I am fine.” He added, turning from her.

“You won’t get any sleep if you are up all night shivering.” She said, and with a sigh added, “Its okay Prince Zuko. I don’t mind… you’ve already done so much for me. The least I can do is swallow a little discomfort.”

What about me is so discomforting? He wondered, but before he could think anymore on it, the sleeping bag was tossed over him. It was already warm from her body heat, and he almost instantly began to relax as the warmth soothed his chilled body. Her scent lightly covered the blanket, and for a moment, he let himself drink it in.

“There… see, it’s not so bad.” She said, shifting a bit closer to him so that there was some slack in the blanket. She folded her arm under her head and closed her eyes. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” He said. Thank you.

***

Lania couldn’t breathe. She panicked, and thrust her head around to try and get her mouth free, but whatever covered it wasn’t moving. She inhaled deeply though her nose, but it wasn’t enough. She needed to gasp the oxygen, to feel her lungs get properly filled with air.

Power from fire bending came from breath, and with her mouth covered, she was severely handicapped. She felt as though she was being held just slightly above water while the rest of her was cut off.

She couldn’t go like this.

She needed to fight.

***

Lania opened her eyes, and instantly took in one, large lungful of air. She sat up, touching her mouth and throat, all the while, willing her body to stop shaking. It had been a dream… a terrible dream.

It’s done. She told herself stubbornly. It’s done, its gone, and your okay now. She stared at her hands, frowning as they continued to shake. I SAID IT’S DONE!

Her stubbornness paid off. Her hands stopped shaking after a few seconds, and she let out a sigh. She felt weakened, but successful nonetheless. It was still dark and beside her both Zuko and Iroh were sound asleep. She felt relief that her actions had not caused them to wake.

Hesitantly, she lifted her hand, and reached out to touch Zuko’s back. He was warm to the touch, and she had the sudden urge to hug him the way she had when they were riding before. Flushing furiously, she pulled her hand back.

That’s enough of that. She told herself. She had never been one to depend on other people, and what was left of her pride was not going to allow her to get any closer than she needed to be.

She rolled over and curled up, wrapping some of the blanket around her. No more nightmares. Just sleep now.

***

“There is a town nearby. We can make it there by midday if we get going now.” Zuko said as he began rolling up the canopy for the tent. He handed the bundle to Lania, who fumbled with it, and muttered an apology before attaching it to the Komodo-Rhino’s saddle.

He had noticed that she was acting oddly. He wondered if she really did have objections to sharing a blanket with him, but decided not to press the matter. It was not as if they had done anything, and she had been the one to offer anyway.

The day passed in silence. Zuko lead the way, Lania on the back of his saddle, holding onto his shirt for balance.

Yesterday all she did was talk, now today… she isn’t saying a thing. He rolled his eyes remembering his original assessment on girls. They’re crazy.

As they neared the town around midday, they came upon a wooden information post. On one side was an outdated flier for the Fire Day Festival, and on the opposite side were wanted posters.

Zuko glanced at them on his way by. He saw a poster for the Blue Spirit… his secret identity that he sometimes wore when he was in need of sneaking into places. He also saw a poster for the Avatar, which he focused on and began to read.

“Oh!” Lania grabbed Zuko’s hips tightly and lifted herself off the saddle, landing on the ground roughly. She turned and approached the posters, pulling one down.

It was older and more brittle than the others. “This is Grandfather!” she exclaimed.

“Lets see… Admiral… thousand gold pieces from the Fire Nation… all information report to…OH! Here! He’s been spotted here!” she said excitedly, showing the poster to Zuko. Scribbled at the bottom in fresh ink was a notice that Jeong Jeong had been spotted at the river bend nearby.

Unsure of how to reply, he simply nodded. Of course… who knows when that was written and by whom. He thought. As Lania hopped over to show the poster to his Uncle, he felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips. She had become the girl that had emerged from the woods the night before. At least she is acting normal again.

“Well…” Iroh said with a smile “At least you know he is still alive and not captured.”

Lania nodded eagerly and folded the parchment up, tucking it in her waistband. She felt excitement boil in her stomach at the prospect of being near her grandfather, even if she was not with him. Simply knowing he was okay made her feel better.

“The fire nation has control of the town.” Zuko mentioned, as he reached down to help Lania back onto the saddle. “We’ll have to skip this town and hit the next. We cannot gamble with being caught.”

“We could send Lania.” Iroh said as he kicked the Komodo-Rhino in the haunches, making the animal lurch forward. “She has no wanted posters of her.”

What happened to not leaving her by herself? Zuko wondered. He glanced behind him at Lania who was still smiling.

“I could.” She said happily. “I mean, you’ll have to tell me what all you need.”

“Well for one, you need girl’s clothing.” Iroh pointed out. “A lovely young lady such as yourself should not wear boy’s clothing.”

Lania blushed slightly. “Its fine... these cloths are okay.”

“No.” Zuko said lightly. “You should get something else to wear.” He had to agree with his uncle. He’d seen her trip more than once on the hem of the pants he’d given her. “Of course, we do not have a lot of money.”

Lania frowned, and looked away for a moment, debating in her mind whether or not to volunteer… but after thinking of everything they had done… “I can get money.” She said gently. “But… I cannot go alone in this.”

“What do you mean?” Zuko asked, not glancing back.

“I… I can fire dance.” She said gently. “It was how I made my money before… and how my mother made her money before she was…” she stopped short, not feeling much like talking about her mother. “I was part of a traveling performance group.”

“Was that why you were captured?” Iroh asked, raising a brow. He’d been there the day that Ozai had passed a law banning acts of “distaste” as he called it, which meant fire dancing. Not that fire dancing itself was distasteful, but some people saw perversion in it. Traditionally, the fire dancers were the female priests who celebrated the sun Spirit, whose fury was tamed by the beauty of young women.

Lania shifted uncomfortably.

“Then why risk it again?” Zuko asked angrily from in front of her. “We won’t have time to rescue you if you get caught again.”

“It… was just a suggestion.” She muttered, shifting back into her mood. I just wanted…to help.
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Fiery Heart